from The Fair Trade Ingredient Cookbook
This recipe goes well as a base for pasta sauce or a side dish for meat or fish. I like to remove the stems from the chard by trimming the stem ends first. Holding the leaf in one hand, tear the leaves from the stem in bite-sized pieces. You can use a knife or scissors as well. Stems take longer to cook and can be too chewy. Save the stems for soup stock.
Ingredients
2 bunches (20 cups/5 L) red chard, stems and ribs removed
3 Tbsp (45 mL) olive oil (+ 1 Tbsp/15 mL) for drizzle
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp (2 mL) red chili flakes
1 cup (250 mL) canned chickpeas, rinsed
½ cup (125 mL) roasted red peppers, rinsed and thinly sliced
3 Tbsp (45 mL) fresh lemon juice
½ tsp (2 mL) sea salt
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) black pepper
Directions
Wash the chard and leave wet. Remove the leaves from the ribs and tear the leaves into bite-size pieces.
Keep the leaves, stem and ribs separate. Use the stems and ribs for future soup sock.
In a large skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red chili flakes and swirl in the oil for 30 seconds.
Add 2 cups (480 mL) chard and stir, adding more as the chard wilts. When all the leaves have wilted, add the chickpeas, peppers, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer to a serving bowl with a slotted spoon and drizzle with 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil.
Makes 4 servings
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: This is a quick and easy dish that will add nutrition and colour to your menu…great for those big meals when you need to satisfy both carnivores and vegetarians alike.
Contents and images used with permission by Whitecap. https://www.whitecap.ca/Detail/1770503307
